Bathtub attachment



Aprfi 1 1924.

L, ECK

BATHTUB ATTACHMENT Filed Sept; 27.

Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES LUTHER ECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BATHTUB ATTAGHMIENT.

Application filed September 27, 1922.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER Eon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bathtub Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to attachments or accessories for ordinary bath-tubs whereby the latter may be readily and conveniently used for the carrying on of ordinary laundry or clothes washing work, thus eliminating the customary need for the employment of the usual wash or set tubs. Even though the latter are available, it will sometimes be found more convenient and serviceable to employ the new appliance in association with the bath-tub.

To this end, the improved and novel device comprises an adjustable supportingstructure designed to be clamped fixedly to the bath-tub and adapted to support a clothes-wringer and a related clothes-basket in convenient position for handy and efficient use.

One aim of the invention is the provision of a structure of this character which may be used in the manner indicated Without danger of marring or injuring the enameled or other finishing surface of the bath-tub.

A further purpose of the invention is the production of such a supporting appliance which may be easily and readily clamped to the tub even though one edge of the latter is near a wall as frequently happens.

An added object of the invention is the supplying of such an appliance which is simple in structure, which i composed of few parts, which performs its functions efficiently, which is unlikely to become injured or damaged in service, and which may be manufactured at relatively small cost.

To enable those skilled in this art to have a full and complete understanding of this invention and its various structural and functional advantages, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of such invention and throughout the two views of such drawing like reference characters have been employed in connection with the same parts.

In this drawing- Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section through a bath-tub equipped with the improved structure, showing the latter with the Serial No. 590,809.

clothes-basket removed to more clearly illustrate some of the elements of the construction; and t Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the oath-tub and the new appliance with the basket or clothes receptacle in position.

Referring to this drawing, it will be perce-ived that it shows a bath-tub 11 of the usual enameled metal variety the surface of which has a pleasing glazed appearance, which surface should not be subjected to injury by the use of the new structure, the latter permitting the bath-tub to be used temporarily or Wheneven needed as a clothes washing receptacle.

To do this, means must be supplied for supporting the clothes-wringer and the clothes-basket or other receptacle.

Accordingly, the present invention comprises the use of a horizontal, sheet-metal or other bar lQT-shaped in verticalcross-section one end of the bar carrying a comparatively-wide felt or leather lined, curved plate 13 of the shape in cross-section depicted in Figure 1, and designed to rest on the top of one of the curved, marginalfianges 14 of the bath-tub, the covering or lining 15 for the under-face of such part preventing scratching or otherwise injuring the enameled or glazed top surface of such flange or rim.

The central part of the outer lower edge of the element 13 carries a block 16 provided with a threaded hole accommodating an adjustable, inclined screw 17 fitted at its outer end with a turning handle or small wheel 18, the inner upper end of the screw bearing against the outer face of the bathtub just beneath its border rim so that any injury .to the surface at that point could not be seen.

To prevent any such injury the bearing end of screw 17 may be provided with a suitable facing if desired such as of leather, felt or other resilient or cushioning material.

The plate 13 is made sufiiciently wide so as to receive easily the rims or flanges of various shapes and sizes of bath-tubs of different forms and it is made comparatively long whereby to have an extensive bearing on such rim.

Preferably, the apertured block 16 is hinged or pivoted to the member 13 in any approved manner so that the inclination of the screw may be varied to accommodate itself to the part against which its end bears in performing its clamping and fastening function.

By means of slots 19 and bolts r screws 20 another flat bar 21 is adjustably fastened to the other supporting bar 12 and its free end is fitted or equipped with a sheet-metal arm 22, faced on its underside with felt, leather or the like 23, which is designed to bear on the top of the back flange or rim 2st of the bath-tub.

At its end this metal element 22 is bent around beneath to form a strong hollow part 25 which is vertically apertured to slidingly and rotatably receive an upright rod or threadedbolt 26 hinged at its top end at 27 to a cam-shaped or eccentric handle 28, the cam portion 29 of which is designed to bear on the top surface of the part 25.

Such rod or bolt has a clamping foot or shoe 30 adjustably mounted thereon between a nut 31 and a coil spiral spring 32 encircling the rod and bearing at its two ends on the part 25 and the foot.

When the handle is swung up into vertical position the foot or shoe is lowered by the downward pressing action of the spring and when the handle is swung down into horizontal position, the foot will be raised and bear on the lower edge of the rim 24 of the bath-tub thus assisting in holding the duplex supporting element 12-21 fixedly and firmly in position on the bath-tub.

In those cases where the back of the bathtub is near a wall, the handle and foot or shoe may be temporarily turned at right angles to the length of the bar 21 to permit the descent of the foot between the bathtub rim and the wall, and when thus lowered into place, they are again turned into the position shown in Figure 1 and the foot clamped against the rim, such clamping element being faced or covered with leather, felt or the. like if desired.

By means of suitable brackets 33, a wringer-board 3-1 adapted to support the clotheswringer shown in dotted lines in Figure l is fastened to the top flanges of the support 12 adjacent to the front side of the bath-tub in which position it may be readily operated.

Because the wringer-is located as stated, the part 13 is made long to have an extensive bearing along the rim 14 so that the strains exerted by the wringer will be properly cared for without danger of dislodging or loosening'its support on the tub.

A clothes-basket or receptacle 35 of any suitable and appropriate character is sup ported in part by a pair of hooks 36-36 thereon which take or fit in holes in one of the flanges of the bar 12, the other side of the receptacle being fitted with a rod or bar 37 bearing-at its end portion on the top of the flange 14: and with a companion rod or bar 38 designed to rest on the backrim 24 and having an adjustable extensible bolt and slot connection 89'39 with the associated rod or bar 37.

Obviously, the basket is in proper relation to the clotlies-wringer with which it cooperates and it may be readily removed from such position by merely lifting it to release the hooks from'their connection with the wringer supporting bar, the other rods or bars 37 and 38 being permanently fastened to the basket and hence raised and removed with it.

Thus this easily mounted and demounte-d clothes receptacle is supported in part'by the appliance which carries the wringer and in part by its own especial support, the two cooperating to maintain the basket in coactive relation with the wringer.

Those skilled in this art and understanding its construction will have no difiiculty in appreciating the ease with which this ap pliance may be fitted to and removed from an ordinary bath-tub without danger of injuring any portion of the latter.

They will also understand the efiicient manner in which this supporting appliance performs its work and the relative ease with which washing operations can be carried on in a bath-tub fitted with the new device and the associated wringer and clothes-basket.

This invention is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of struc ture presented since the mechanical construction illustrated and described is susceptible of substantially radical modifications without departure from the substance and essence of the invention and without the sacrifice of any of its material benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In a bath-tub attachment of the character described, the combination of a supporting bar structure, an arm mounted thereon adapted to rest on one side rim of the bath-tub, clamping means carried by said arm adapted to engage the outer face of the bath-tub inside of said rim, a clamping foot rotatably and slidably mounted on the opposite end of said supporting bar structure and designed to engage the bottom edge of the opposite side rim of the bathtub, a spring to force said foot down, cam means to raise said foot into operative engagement With said rim, and a wringerboard on said supporting bar structure.

2. In a bath-tub attachment of the chartub inside of said rim, a second arm secured on said supporting bar structure, a rod rotatably and slidingly accommodated in a bearing in said second arm and having a foot on its lower end designed to engage the bottom edge of the opposite side rim of the bath-tub, a spring surrounding said rod and acting to force said foot down, a cam handle pivoted to the upper end of said rod by means of which the foot may be turned and may be raised into clamping position, and means supported at least in part on said supporting bar structure, to be used in the laundry operation.

3. In a bath-tub attachment of the character described, the combination of a supporting bar structure, an arm secured thereon adapted to rest on one side rim of the bathtub, clamping means carried by said arm adapted to engage the outer face of the bath-tub inside of said rim, a clamping foot rotatably and slidably mounted on the 0pposite end of said supporting bar structure and designed to engage the bottom edge of the opposite side rim of the bath-tub, a spring to force'said foot down, cam means to raise said foot into operative engagement with said rim, a wringer-board on said supporting bar structure, a second extensible and contractible support also adapted to rest on the bath-tub crosswise thereof, and a clothes receptable sustained jointly by both of said supporting bar structure and said second support in a position to receive clothes delivered thereto by a Wringer mounted on said wringer-board.

.In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

LUTHER ECK. 1 5. 

